Antiaircraft gun



p N. E. METHLIN 1,879,705

ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN Filed Sept. 30, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN l/E N TOR WW WVM Sept. 27, 1932. N. E. METHLIN 1,37,795

ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN Filed Sept. 50. 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 27, 1932. N METHLlN 1,879,705

ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN Filed Sept. 30, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN Filed Sept. 30, 1951 6 Sheets-Shwt 4 W, yav amuwimm Sept. 27, N METHLlN ANTIAIRCRAFT GUN Filed Sept. 30, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ex @vnum HTTOR/VEYS.

Sept. 27, 1932. N METHLIN 1,879,705

ANT IAIRCRAFT GUN Filed Sept. :50, 1931 e Sh'e etS-Sheet e ITTORNEYS characterized in that one of the arms or sys- Patented Sept. 27, 1932 retains.

NICOLAS E MILIEN METHLIN, OF PAR-I$, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 SCHNEIDER & C I E, OF

PARIS, FRANCE, A COMPANY 0F FRANCE IANTIAIRGRAFT GUN Application filed September 30, 1931, Serial No. 566,147, and in France July 10, 1931.

It is sometimes of advantage to convert an existing anti-aircraft gun, orv even to construct such a gun, so that whilst possessing all the features and advantages of its design in viewof its main application as an antiaircra'ft gun, and without involving considerable complications, it may be employedin case of need, and more particularly, in case of surprise, for firing when mounted on wheels, using one of the' wheel trains employed for the transportof the gun.

Thepresent invention relates to a gun for firing at aerial objectives, which is adapted for firing when mounted onwheels, in case of surprise, with arelatively extensive field of fire according to circumstances.

According to the invention, the gun for firing at aerial objectives comprises in known manner, a saddle platform in which pivots the top carriage on which the oscillating gun body is supported by trunnions and to which are fitted arms, two of which at least are hinged'to enable them to be spread open with a view to fixing them in the ground, and is tem of arms of the mounting is provided with a device for fixing thereto a wheel train serving for'the transport of the gun, but detachable, whereby the said arm may carry permanently the axle-of this wheel train and the said axle may be fixed or adapted to be raised for receiving the detachable wheels, when it is desired to change over fromthe normal position in battery for firing ataer1al objectives into the travelling position.

Various constructional forms of the invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings. 7 V Y Figure 1 of the drawings shows diagrammatically a gun of the type specified, namely a gun for firing at aerial objectives, comprising a saddle pivot a in which a top carriage or mounting b is adapted to turn. The oscillating body comprising the cradle c and the barrel (Z is suported by trunnions in the top carriage b, and the said saddle pivot is provided with three arms 6, e and f, one of which, is fixed to the said saddle while the other two arms are adapted to be spread open 0 with a view to fixing'them to the ground. In

the known guns of this type, the arms e, c and f, in the battery position, must be raised a slight distance above the ground in order, when firing at very large angles, to permit the gun barrel to recoil without the necessity of elevating the line of fire. This necessity, with the usual'transport devices, requires the system of trails to be raised a suitable height above the ground for travelling over broken ground.

According to the invention, the fixed arm f .is provided with a device, such as the bearings g for-fixing theretoa detachable wheel train (axle h and wheelsz'). This wheel train may, as desired, be put in position on the said bearings g for the purpose of wheeling or may be removed for putting the gun in battery position with a view to firing at aerial objectives. As will be seen from the modificationsshown in part elevation in Figures '2 and 3, the sup port gg for the axle k may be so constructed as to enable it to be'lowered into the position shown in Figure 3, after removal of the wheels, and conversely, to be lifted into the position shown in Figure 2 for the purpose of placing the wheels in position. The axle 72, may thus remain permanently installed on the gun carriage even during firing at aerial objectives, without its presence obstructing the operation of laying the gun in direction. In the examples which will be described hereinafter, it will be explained how the gun may be arranged for travelling, irrespective of the 'constructional'form of the invention, andhow the gunmay be fired while mounted on wheels,fparticularly in case of surprise F igure4 isa longitudinal elevation showlng inthe" wheellng positlon, a gun for firing at aerial objectives, constructed according to the invention, in which the detachable wheel train, combined with the fixed arm in the form of aprojection on the saddle, is combined with a laminated spring providing a resilient suspension for the carriage when coupled to a gun limber, Figure 5 is a section al elevation through 55 in Figure 4. Fig ure '6 is a plan corresponding to Figure 4. Figure 7 is a longitudinal elevation similar to that shown in Figure 4: showing'an intermediate position in changing over from the nection between the detachablewheel-train and the suspension spring.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of adetail of thls connecting device.

7 Figures 9 and 10.

is constituted by bearings g solid with he arm f,, the axle being retained in these bear- Figures 12 and l3show, in longitudinal elevation and iplan respectively, the gun] mounted on wheels and put in battery posi-.

tion for firing in case of surprise by lowering thesystem of trails hingedto the saddle and remaining connected together, as they -were for coupling up to a gun liinberQ Figuresl and 15' show,'in longitudinal elevation and plan respectively, the gun mounted. onwheels and put in battery position for firing in a relatively'large horizontal field offire, the trails hinged to the saddle being spread'open and fixed to the ground, the fixed arm" itself being assumed to be secured to the ground."

j Figures 16 and 17,Qshow, in longitudinalelevation and plan respectively, the gun in battery position for firing at aerial objectives,

gun constructed according to the invention,

in which the systenrof oscillating body, equili brating device and top carriage is of atype U. S. Lett'ers'Patent No. 1,658,005. 1 y.

"In the various examplesofFigures 4 to, 16,

' the wheel train, for which an a'xle'fixing support'is provided on the arm of the carriage,

is of the known type comprising an axle h, at the ends of which are mounted rocking levers h -h foneof the arms 71, of which:

carries a wheel spindle h",the end of the other arm 72? being connectedto one of the ends of,

a laminated spring j adapted to be fastened by: its middle to an auxiliary support k,the

arm f 'carrying,as in'the example shown, in Figure l, a system'of, supports 9 for ,nthe'axle' body h." Inthis example, the axle support;

Preferably, the laminated springj', as shown in the drawings, is carried in its middle by the end of afllevenm pivoted at the centre of the axle'body h. To the end m of the lever'm is hinged semen rocking lever m m which, when'the wheel train is in place, hasits arms resting in bearings where they are held by caps 70?. This method of fixing the suspension spring permanently connected to the axle bodyfacilitates the placing of thespring in position and its'removal,but'

the wheel train and thesuspension sprin 'be-i ing removed, Figure 18 is ai 'longitu inal' elevation showing inthe wheeling'position ait is evident that it may be replaced byany other appropriate fixing device The laminated spring is arranged on its supporting lethe practical form of construction showlnthe a middle shackle of =the suspensionspring in position on the arm f may constitute anattachingmember for the oscillating gun body Figure 11 is a section, through l'l1l of I purpose with a pair of connecting rods n.

To facilitate mounting and dismounting, V

thelconnection'between'the levers k fh and the ends of the springs may be efiected by 'means of rods 'ohin'ged at one end to the ends of the spring by a system of clasps p and at the other'end by bearings carrying plug pins 0 which. may e provided with'handleso theend ofthe lever arm 7?. I w a p For travelling, the un-occupies the position shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6,the united trails 6 being coupled in knownimanner to r a gun limber' *g by the common coupling: 'hook 6 Between the arm 7 carrying the axle body it, supported by the bearings-g and by the wheels z',and the gun cradle c'is interfastenedin its turn; to the auxiliary support the gun is, properly speaking, suspended resiliently from the wheel train. i

- posed the spring j oscillating on the lever m 7 7c, the result of which is that, ontravelling,

If, in case of surprise it'is desired to use I the gun, as an ordinary field gun, it is pos sible, by 'merelyundoing the couplingbetween the hook e and the gun limber g, to

lower the system of'trailsre-,as shown in Fig- -ure 7. Themfor example, by] hooking the hooks f carried by the arm f to a swiveljack 4', it is possible, after having lifted slightly the arm f, to separate the levers h -h from the spring a'manipulation of" the han- F dles (fwhich'for travelling are locked on'the lever arms 71 Having done this,the carriage' properly so-called may be lowered towards the ground by pivoting "about the fixing-devices of the -trails e, which themselves rest on the ground. In this movement, a slight displacement of the wheels on the ground is produced in the direction of the arrow (Figure andthe gun assumes the position shown in Figures 12 and 13.

It is obvious that, for the'oper'ationsi described in the foregoing, the useof a jack 7 not indispensable, but that, by firstbringing I a he oscillating'body' of the gun (gun and cradle) to a suitable finclination and into an appropriate position relatively to the arm 7, theloads may be so balanced that one or two assistants can carry out by hand the operations of lifting-or lowering with the help of 'a li-fting bars Y v v 'Thereupon, after hayingfirst fixed the syrtern of trails e, and possiblythe arm f, tot-he 1 the plug hole for the pin being formed at g j grounchfiring may be carried out as in the case of an ordinary single-trail un on wheels, that is to say, by resting on the system of a trails e and on the wheels. If the necessary time is available, the gun may be givenan increased field of fire in direction and in elevationby spreading open the trails e and fixing them to the ground, thus converting the wheeled carriage into a gun having a large horizontal and vertical tield of fire as shown in Figures 14 and 15. In this case, it is preterable to secure the fixed arm f also to the ground.

In putting the gun into battery position with a VlGXV to employing it for normal firing. against aerial objectives, three situations may arise. It may be necessary to start from the wheeling position, from the single-trail firing position or from the double-trail firing position.

In all these cases, it is necessary of course to separate the gun from its limber.

porting it are then immediately removed.

If a start is made from the wheeling position or from the single-trail firing position, it is first of all necessary to spread apart the trails 6, so that the angle between them is that which they will occupy on the ground. lhe connection between the oscillating gun body (gun and cradle) and the suspension spring is then undone by disengaging the pin 8 (Figure 7) allowing the rods a to drop into the position shown in chain lines in the said figure. The bearing caps k and g are then turned over liberating respectively the'lever m m -m m and the axle body h. Finally, after having suitably lifted the oscillating gun body (gun and cradle) the carriage may be lowered towards the ground by operatingthe. jack 7'. Once the carriage rests on the ground, the jack 1* may be withdrawn and the wheel train disengaged, the carriage final ly assuming the position shown in Figures 16 and 17.

It is obvious that the device described for permitting rapid and reacy converpion of a gun with an all-round field of fire ior fir ng against aerial objectives into a gun for firmg on'wheels may be employed irrespective of the type of top carriage or mounting in which the cradle oscillates and irrespective oi the system of balancing the said body (gun and cradle).

Figure 18 shows diagrammatically, by way of example, the application of the converting device described in the foregoing to a gun in which the top carriage or mounting and itsbalancing means are of a known type different from that shown in Figures 1 to 17 and which, as indicated hereinbetore, forms the subject of a prior patent.

The operations of converting the gun ma be simplified by dispensing with a resilientsuspension during travelling. Thus, it is The. wheel train and the suspension spring sup quite evident that the device shown in Figure 1 dispenses with all operations relating to the connection between the resilient suspension and the wheel train,it being possible to withdraw the wheel train by dismounting one of the wheelsand removing the axle. In the example shown in Figures 2 and 8 it is possible merely to withdraw the wheels and to lower on to the arm 'f the system of bearings g with the axle'body left permanently in position.

I. claim:

1. In a portable gun mount of the type embodying a plurality of trail members, a readily detachable wheel train comprising an axle, wheels mounted on said axle, a hearing for said axle secured to one of said trail members, a bearingcap for retaining said axlein said bearing, and means for raising said cap relatively to said bearing to permit removal of said axle therefrom.

2. In a portable gun mount of the type embodying a plurality of trail members and a gun cradle supported thereby, a wheeled axle mounted on one of said trail members. a suspension spring attachable and detachable a unit to and from said same trail member, and extending transversely thereto, and means fordet-achably connecting theends of sait wheeledv axle to the correspondingends of said spring whereby the wheels are resiliently suspended withrespect to said gun mount during transportation.

3. In a portable gun mount of the type embodying a plurality of trail members and a gun cradle supported thereby, a wheeled axle detachably mounted on one of trail members, a suspension spring secured to said same trail member, means operatively connecting said wheeled axle to said spring whereby the wheels are resiliently suspended with respect to said gun mount, and means operatively connecting said gun cradle to said spring for resilient support during transportation.

14;. In a portable gun mount of the type embodying a plurality of trail members and gun cradle supported thereby, .a wheeled axle detachably mounted on one of said trail. memhere, a suspension spring secured .to said same trail member, means operatively connecting said wheeled axle to said spring whereby the wheels are resiliently suspended with respect to said gun mount, means operatively connecting said gun cradle to said spring for resilient support during transportation, and means for disconnecting said wheels and gun cradle from said spring when the gun is in firing position.

5. In a portable gun mount of the type embodying' a plurality of trail members and a gun cradle supported thereby, a wheeled axle mounted on one of said trail members, a suspension spring attachable and detachable as aunitto and from said same trail memfiring position.

' one of said trail-members including a liftable 'bearmg cap forfacllltatmg removal of said 6.71m a portable gun mount of the type embodying a1 plurality of trail members, a wheel train comprising an axle, a bearing for said axle secured to" one of said trail members,a lever pivotally mounted on each end v ofvsaid axle, a wheel spindle carried by one arm of each of said levers, wheels m ounted' on said spindles, a suspension spring secured to and extend ng transversely to said same trail member, and means for connectingthe other arm of each of said levers to one end of 7 said spring whereby said wheels fiIG'IGSIllQIllZ- ly suspended with respect to said gun mount. 7. Ina portable gun mount of the type embodying a plurality of trail members, a

readily detachable 'wheel train comprising an axle, a bearing for said axle secured to axle therefrom, a wheel spindle pivotally mounted on each end of saidaxle, wheels mounted on said spindles, a suspension spring secured to and extending transversely to said same trail member, and meansfor detachably. connectmg sald pivotally mounted wheel spindles to the opposite ends of said spring whereby said wheels'areresiliently suspended with res'pectto said gun' nountr.

8. In a portable gun mount of the type embodying a plurality of trail members, a readily detachable wheel train comprising an axle, a bearing for said axle secured to one of said trail members including a liftable bearing cap for facilitating removal of said axle therefrom, a wheel spindle pivotally mounted on each end of said axle, wheels mounted on said spindles, a. lever arm pivotally mounted at one end on saidaxle interf mediate its ends and extending transversely thereto, a suspension spring pivotally mounted on said'lev'er arm intermediate its ends and extending transversely thereto, means for detachably securing the other end of said lever arm to said same trail member, and

means for detachably connecting said, pivotally mounted wheel spindles to the o'pposite ends of said spring whereby said wheels are resiliently suspended with respect to said gun mount. o

9. In a portable gun mount ofthe type v embodying a'plurality of trail members, a

wheel train comprising an axle, a bearing for said axle secured to oneof said trail members, a lever pivotally mounted on each end Vmount. i V o 10. In a portable gun mount of the type of said'axle,a wheel spindle carried by one arm of each of said levers, wheels mounted on said spindles, a supporting arm pivotally mounted at one end on said axle intermedlate its ends and extending transversemountedon said supportingarm intermedi- 7 ate its ends and extending transversely thereto, means for detachably securing the other end of said' supporting arm to said same trail member,'and means for connecting the other 'arm'of each of said levers to one end siliently suspended with respect to said gun embodying aplurality of trail members and a gun cradle supported thereby, a readilydetachable wheel train comprising an axle, a bearing for said axle secured to one of said trail members, a lever pivotallymounted on 70 71y thereto, a suspension "spring I pivotally' 1 of saidspring whereby said wheels are-reeach end of said axle, a wheel spindlecar V "ried by one'arm of eachof said levers,wheels mounted on said spindles, a supporting arm pivotally mounted at one end on said axle mtermedzate 1ts ends andrextendmg transversely thereto, a suspension spring pivotallye mounted'on said supporting arm intermediate its ends and extending transversely thereto,'means for detachably securingthe other end of said supporting arm to said same trail member, means for connecting the other armfof each, of said levers to one end of-said. spring whereby said wheelsarere, siliently suspendedwith respect to-said gun mount, and means operatiyely connecting said gun cradle to said :spr'ingforresilient support during transportation. f v In testimony whereof Thave signed thi specification. "1

NICOLAS EMILIEN' MErnLiN. 

